Adaptive wheel assembly with interchangeable decorative faces

ABSTRACT

A wheel assembly that provides a simulated center lock wheel look that also enables exchanging of ornamental face plates with a center hub attachment device that will allow car enthusiasts to easily change the look of their automotive wheels while maintaining a center lock wheel appearance. The assembly includes three components: a base wheel, a plurality of ornamental face plates, and a center hub attachment extending from one of either the hub or the ornamental face plate.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure pertains to wheels and, more particularly, to awheel system for vehicles that provides for a base wheel and an adaptiveattachment of interchangeable decorative wheel faces.

Description of the Related Art

The automotive wheel industry continues to be an integral part ofautomotive design, functionality, and customization. The idea of theintegrated wheel arises from the opportunity to incorporate the full useof the wheel that is fully customizable by the consumer. The automotivewheel market has to meet stronger governmental standards amidstbalancing changing consumer styling trends and demands. The currentwheel market is a multi-billion dollar industry dominated by the OEMend-user which is compounded by the aftermarket end-user. Innovation inthis segment is becoming increasingly vital given the need to decreaseunsprung weight or rotational mass while keeping desirable aestheticproperties.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to an integrated wheel design andstructure that takes full advantage of all aspects of the wheel,allowing for the ability to maximize offset, concavity, diameter, andreduction of weight to maximize circular velocity in certainapplications. The present disclosure reduces manufacturing cost withoutsacrificing the desirable ornamental properties. In fact, itexponentially increases the ornamental design capabilities, thusallowing for both the OEM and consumer or end-user to keep up withtrends without costly re-investment.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, amulti-piece wheel assembly is provided that incorporates an adaptive hubattachment that also enables exchanging of ornamental faces or the hubitself. This assembly will allow car enthusiasts to easily change thelook of their automotive wheels. The adaptive hub attachment cansimulate the appearance of a center lock wheel appearance or beincorporated into the design of the wheel itself. The assembly, in oneimplementation, has a base wheel designed to support the ornamentalface, a replaceable ornamental face plate, and an attachment assembly toattach the ornamental face plate to the base wheel.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, athree-piece wheel assembly is provided that provides a simulated centerlock wheel look that also enables exchanging of an ornamental center hubattachment. This assembly will allow car enthusiasts to easily changethe look of their automotive wheels while maintaining a center lockwheel appearance.

The assembly, in one implementation, has a base wheel, a replaceableornamental face plate, and an attachment assembly to attach theornamental face plate to the base wheel.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the wheelassembly includes three components: a base wheel, a center lugconversion, and at least one (and preferably more than one)interchangeable center hub attachment or ornamental face plate.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the basewheel includes a standard five-lug attachment although it canaccommodate a 4-lug or even a 1-lug configuration, and it can include inone implementation a deep offset to provide as much exterior space for avariety of attachments. The base wheel will have as little material aspossible for weight reduction. It can employ multiple designs centeredon light weight strength and stability, including without limitation,thin spokes and spokes having a more blade-like shape.

In accordance with yet a further aspect of the present disclosure, theadaptive center lug conversion device is attached to the center hub ofthe base wheel from the back and extends outward. The adaptive hubcenter lug conversion device is for appearance only and does not bearthe weight of the vehicle.

In accordance with still yet another aspect of the present disclosure,the center hub attachment or ornamental face plate differs from ahubcap, beauty rim, or wheel cover as it moves away from conventionalmethods of producing decorative faces and attachment points. Theornamental face takes advantage of the base wheel and its attributes tocover only as much as required to achieve the desired design. Thisallows the design to keep open areas that can expose the brake systemand still maintain the look of a true wheel. The hub cap or beauty rimalso adheres to the wheel in one plane, which differs drastically fromthe aforementioned face that incorporates a design traversing multipleplanes. It also differs from a typical wheel currently using the endornamental design as the weight bearing surface. The new ornamental faceis integrated into the base wheel providing structure and uniformity tothe ornamental face. By integrating the ornamental face to the basewheel it provides a stable attachment to not only composite material butalso metal faces. It attaches to the center lug conversion device usinga secure locking mechanism. It fits into the base wheel and can use theexisting space and structures such as lug nuts as internal stabilizationpoints.

In accordance with still yet another aspect of the present disclosure,the center hub attachment or ornamental face plate is similar to ahubcap, beauty rim, or wheel cover that is decorative only. It attachesto the center lug conversion device using a secure locking mechanism. Byallowing center attachment, the weight and design of the ornamentalfaces can dramatically increase compared to a typical hubcap or beautyring. The base wheel design is integral in providing this support systemto bear more weight and stabilize ornamental faces. The lockable centerattachment is a secure attachment with good clamping force. Use of thecenter hub and base wheel structure will prevent movement and bear theoutward centrifugal forces being applied. Use of a secure centerattachment will (in conjunction with variations in center offsets)maintain most of the weight closer to the center of the barrel,alleviating weight disturbances in the wheel. Overall, the accessibilitythe center hub provides will allow interchangeability of ornamentalfaces with different designs. Designs that take advantage of theconcavity of the wheel will be much easier to achieve and deliver betteraesthetics, quality and appearance than any hub cap or beauty ring.

As will be readily appreciated from the foregoing, a variety of centerhub attachments will give the user a choice and enable changing out theattachments at any time. The combination of the center lug conversiondevice and the center hub attachment provide the appearance of anauthentic center lug wheel assembly by hiding the lug nuts of thevehicle if desired, although this is not necessary and the ornamentalface could be designed to expose the lugs.

The base wheel and center hub combination allow for various adjustmentsto be made that will in turn affect the end design, having the abilityto change the depth of the ornamental faces either by replacing solidfaces or controlling the center hub to allow depth and angle variations.The ability to change the depth or angle will in turn add differentdesign features. The ability of the center hub to accept different depthallows for axial movement. Adding a lock nut capable of housingindependent ornamental faces or spokes onto the center hub adds theability to change depth, and hence design, by moving the ornamentalfaces along the rotational axis of the center hub.

The integrative wheel technology disclosed herein merges both parties'interests. It accomplishes this by simplifying and dividing the currentmanufacturing process. A core base wheel design takes advantage of allaspects of the wheel. The integrative wheel advances design by movingaway from the typical restrictions placed by the end ornamental design.Currently, the end design maintains the weight of the vehicle.Integration of the base wheel will sustain the weight of the vehicle.This would, in turn, not restrict the end-user's ability to freelychange designs that are no longer tied to the weight bearing component.The base of the integrated wheel only incorporates the necessarymaterial required to safely maintain the weight and exertional forcescreated by the vehicle. This can be accomplished by minimizing thedesign and distributing the material that attaches the hub/center of thewheel to the wheel barrel. If the distance of the hub/center is movedand a negative offset is incorporated, this would create a more useablesurface area on the face of the wheel. Fabricating multiple attachmentpoints from the center of the wheel distributes the weight carryingcapacity of the wheel. The attachment points can have multiple designsand variations such as being slightly angled, creating a propeller-likespoke to maximize surface area and also to hide the rear portion of thebase wheel. Varying the amount of material and distribution of thecenter will also allow for different ornamental designs to be applied tothe end product. The base wheel attaches to the hub of the vehicle inconventional methods either by using a multi-lug attachment or a centerlug attachment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the presentdisclosure will be more readily appreciated as the same become betterunderstood from the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded axonometric view of a wheel assembly formed inaccordance with the present disclosure in combination with an existingbrake rotor and wheel bearing hub assembly;

FIG. 2 is an axonometric view of the wheel assembly of FIG. 1 inassembled condition;

FIG. 3 is front elevational view of an alternative embodiment of a wheeland hub assembly of FIG. 1 without a decorative face where multiplecircumferences can be accommodated to achieve different designappearances and qualities in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIGS. 4A-4C are exploded cross-sectional views of wheel and hubassemblies showing three different positions of the hub relative to thebarrel allowing for variations in concavity in the ornamental face inaccordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a fully exploded axonometric view of a wheel assembly having a10-spoke ornamental face with open ended spokes arranged in five pairsof two, a 10-spoke wheel, and a center lock assembly;

FIG. 6 is a partially exploded view of the assembled wheel andornamental face of FIG. 5 with an exploded view of the lock assembly;

FIG. 7 is a partially exploded cross-sectional view of the assembledwheel and ornamental face of FIG. 6 with an exploded view of analternative lock assembly;

FIG. 8 is an exploded axonometric view of the wheel assembly of FIG. 5in combination with an optional ring and an existing wheel hub and innerfender;

FIG. 9 is a partially assembled view of the wheel, ornamental face, andornamental ring of FIG. 8 with an exploded view of the lock assembly;

FIG. 10 is an axonometric view of the assembled base wheel, ring, andornamental face of FIG. 9 showing the deep dish ornamental ring having astepped lip positioned under the ornamental face;

FIG. 11 is an axonometric view of the assembled base wheel andornamental face of FIG. 5 and an alternative implementation of anexploded center lock assembly that employs a threaded sleeve;

FIG. 12 is an exploded view of a 10-spoke base wheel, 20-spokeornamental dished face, and center lock assembly;

FIG. 13 is an axonometric exploded cross section view of a discreetexternally threaded wheel hub engaging an internally threaded hub on abase wheel from the rear along with a rear internal set sleeve;

FIG. 14 is a rear axonometric view of a base wheel with a slide incenter hub and retaining screws;

FIG. 15 is an exploded view of a helical coil insert and base wheel witha center hub sized and shaped to receive the helical coil insert;

FIG. 16 is an exploded view of a 10-spoke base wheel having a steppedcenter hub utilizing a ball pin lock system for the ornamental face withspokes attached to a ring, attached at the end of the spokes;

FIG. 17 is an exploded view of an externally threaded collar next to abase wheel hub with transverse locking screws to engage holes in thecollar wall;

FIG. 18 is an exploded view of a base wheel in combination with anexternally threaded collar and a heli-coil insert;

FIG. 19 is an exploded view of a base wheel, ornamental ring that clipsto the base wheel incorporating tabs to hold non-backed spoke designsand a center key cylinder lock mechanism;

FIG. 20 is an axonometric view of the assembled base wheel, ornamentalring, and lock assembly of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is an axonometric view of a deep dish base wheel having 10spokes arranged in five pairs of two spokes;

FIG. 22 is an axonometric view of a deep dish base wheel having 10spokes arranged in five pairs of two spokes with a stepped annularterminal lip for attachment of faces and an annular ornamental ring witha stepped face attached to the base wheel;

FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view of the base wheel of FIG. 22 assembledwith a ring and tire to illustrate an enclosed space to receive weights;

FIG. 24 is a partial side view of a base wheel having an annular lipwith external threads, which could be directional based on the size ofthe vehicle;

FIG. 25A is an exploded view of a base wheel, ornamental face with 10spokes arranged in five pairs of two, and an ornamental ring havingalternating tabs and paired slots to receive the ends of the spokes;

FIG. 25B is an exploded view of an alternative implementation in whichthree ornamental face plates are attached in tandem to a single basewheel;

FIG. 26 is an exploded view of a base wheel, an ornamental ring havingalternating paired slots and tabs, and a 10-spoked ornamental facecenter portion to attach to the tabs on the ring and configured toaccept a second ornamental face on top of the first ornamental face withspokes to be received in the paired slots;

FIG. 27 is a partial side view in cross section of a base wheel with anornamental ring clipped to an annular lip on the base wheel;

FIG. 28 is an axonometric view of an assembled base wheel with a tireand 20-spoked ornamental face in which paired spokes have a commonterminal end that is solid and extends onto a portion of the tire;

FIG. 29 is an axonometric view of an assembled base wheel with a tireand 20-spoked ornamental face in which paired spokes have a commonterminal end that has an opening extending onto a portion of the tire;

FIG. 30 is an axonometric exploded view of a base wheel with afive-spoked removable center post positioned over the center hub of thebase wheel;

FIG. 31 is an axonometric exploded view of a base wheel with afive-spoked ornamental face that includes five lug through-holes forwheel lugs to pass through for an alternative look;

FIG. 32 is an axonometric illustration of a spacer formed in accordancewith the present disclosure that attaches to the vehicle and to thewheel hub for spacing the base wheel from the vehicle that creates thecenter hub independently from the base wheel in an alternative method;

FIGS. 33A-33C are cross-sectional illustrations of anotherimplementation of a base wheel with an adjustable depth ornamentalassembly at different stages of deployment formed in accordance with thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 34 is an axonometric projection of a portion of the adjustabledepth ornamental assembly of FIGS. 33A-33C;

FIGS. 35-37 are axonometric projections of the entire base wheel andadjustable depth wheel assembly corresponding to the differentdeployment stages of FIGS. 33A-33C respectively; and

FIG. 38 is an axonometric projection that illustrates another embodimentof the base wheel with a bi-level adjustable depth wheel assembly formedin accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, certain specific details are set forth inorder to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosedimplementations. However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognizethat the present disclosed implementations may be practiced without oneor more of these specific details or with other methods, components,materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures or componentsor both that are associated with the environment of the presentdisclosure have not been shown or described in order to avoidunnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the implementations. Forexample, these well-known structures or components include the structureand design of wheel spindles, axles, and the like to which a wheel andassociated tire are mounted on a vehicle. Similarly, the tire to bemounted on the wheel assembly of the present disclosure is notillustrated or described herein in order to provide a clear andunobstructed view of the wheel assembly formed in accordance with thepresent disclosure.

Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification andclaims that follow, the word “comprise” and variations thereof, such as“comprises” and “comprising” are to be construed in an open inclusivesense, that is, as “including, but not limited to.” The foregoingapplies equally to the words “including” and “having.”

Reference throughout this description to “one implementation” or “animplementation” means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described in connection with the implementation isincluded in at least one implementation. Thus, the appearance of thephrases “in one implementation” or “in an implementation” in variousplaces throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring tothe same implementation.

As used herein, the term “wheel” refers to a barrel having a center huband at least one rim associated with it on which is mounted a tire,typically a pneumatic tire. Details concerning the association betweenthe barrel, the rim, and the hub, such as the use of intermediateconnection members, including without limitation spokes, are describedin more detail hereinbelow. By way of general description, the wheelintegration technology described herein simplifies and divides thecurrent manufacturing process. A core base wheel design takes advantageof all aspects of the wheel. The base wheel advances design by movingaway from the typical restrictions placed by the end ornamental design.Currently, the typical end design maintains the weight of the vehicle.The base wheel of the present disclosure will sustain the weight of thevehicle while not restricting the end-user's ability to freely changeornamental wheel face designs. The base wheel only utilizes the amountof material required to safely maintain the weight and the exertionalforces created by the vehicle. This can be accomplished by minimizingthe base wheel design and distributing the material that attaches thehub or center of the wheel to the wheel barrel. The base wheel providesintegral support to the ornamental face by using surfaces on theposterior aspect that fit and sustain various portions of the ornamentalface design. The base wheel and center hub provide the ability to haveunsupported spokes or ornamental faces. This has the ability todrastically reduce overall end weight of the wheel as the unsupportedstructure only needs to have the desired design as it does not bare theweight of the vehicle. If the distance of the hub or center is moved sothat a negative offset is obtained, this would create a more useablesurface area on the face of the wheel. This surface area combined withthe ability to quickly detach faces or spokes allows the end user todrastically change the overall end design of the ornamental face.

Fabricating multiple attachment points from the center of the wheeldistributes the weight carrying capacity of the wheel. The attachmentpoints can have multiple designs and variations such as being slightlyangled creating a propeller like spoke to maximize surface area and alsohide the rear portion of the base wheel. Varying the amount of materialand distribution of the center will also allow for different ornamentaldesigns to be applied to the end product. The integrated wheel attachesto the wheel rotor of the vehicle in conventional methods either byusing a multi-lug attachment or a center lug attachment.

The center of the integrated wheel utilizes a unique attachment point.It can be incorporated into the initial manufacturing process of thewheel or united to the base wheel. This center attachment point createsthe integral part of the base wheel. The center attachment point allowsfor a secure method to attach different ornamental surfaces to the basewheel. This is accomplished with a fastener-type screw-on cap andcoupling attachment for both safety and ability to quickly release andchange the ornamental face plate. In the case of the multi-lug hub, lowprofile lug nuts are used to attach the base wheel. In this case theornamental surface can be designed to multiple different specifications.

The different ornamental face plate designs can hide the lugs if desiredto thereby create a center lug wheel look. The center lug wheelincorporates the center attachment point either from the hub attachmentitself (if the vehicle uses a hub-type conversion to a center lug) orsecures to the center lug creating the same ability to secure ornamentalface plates. The center cap and attachment component allows space for alocking mechanism to protect the ornamental face plate and wheel fromtheft. This also adds another layer of safety. The ornamental face platewill have a backing with minor ridges and distal insertion points at thewheel barrel that match the base wheel. The distal ridges or insertionmay be used if required to stabilize the ornamental face plate duringhigh revolution or wind interference. This would be implementedprimarily for properly securing the distal edges of the face (spokes)especially when using more flexible composite material.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is the ability to change thedepth of the ornamental face and ornamental spokes inside the barrel ofthe wheel. This differs from a typical hub cap or beauty ring in theability to cross different planes in the wheel barrel space. Inaddition, none of the prior designs can stay attached when there isdistortion of the wheel to which they are attached. The structure of thepresent disclosure has a fixed attachment to a center attachment pointon the base wheel, which means any distortion of the wheel barrel on thebase wheel does not affect the attachment of the ornamental face to thebase wheel.

Referring next to the drawings, FIG. 1 is an exploded axonometric viewof a wheel assembly 20, formed in accordance with the presentdisclosure, positioned adjacent an existing vehicle bearing hub 22 thatincludes a vehicle rotor 23.

In this implementation, the wheel assembly 20 includes a base wheel 24formed of a barrel portion 26 and a centrally located wheel hub 28 inthe interior of the barrel portion 26. The wheel hub 28 includes acenter attachment point 30 to which can be attached one from among aplurality of different ornamental face plates 32 using a threadedfastener 34, which when combined form the wheel assembly 20.

The barrel portion 26 of the base wheel 24 includes thecylindrical-shaped barrel 36 having an annular exterior rim 38 and anannular interior rim 40 formed around the exterior and interiorperimeters, respectively, of the cylindrical-shaped barrel 36. The wheelhub 28 in this implementation is solid from the exterior rim 38 to thepoint where it meets the center attachment point 30. In other words, itis dished in appearance and devoid of openings such as slots, and has nospokes, blades, or the like. However, it is to be understood that otherconfigurations may be used for the wheel hub 28, including spoked,bladed, slotted, and variations thereof for weight reduction (to sustainthe weight of the vehicle and create windows to allow for visualizationof braking components and cooling). The size, shape, and placement ofthe same features may also be dictated by ornamental designconsiderations and to appeal to consumers based on latest styles andtrends. Although the weight of the base wheel 24 is preferably as lightas possible, removal of material to achieve lighter weight may still bedone, with or without deference to appearance, cosmetic appeal, andlatest ornamental trends and consumer preferences.

The center attachment point 30 may be integrally formed with the wheelhub 28, such as in the forging stage, or welded in place duringfabrication, or it may be removably attached to the wheel hub 28 usingconventional attachment methods that are readily commercially availableand will not be described in detail herein. The center attachment point30 includes five openings 42 sized and shaped to receive five mountinglugs 44 projecting from the vehicle rotor 23. Five lug nuts 46 are shownfor threadable engagement with the five mounting lugs 44 to hold thebase wheel 24 in place on the vehicle rotor 23 in a conventional manner.(Shown five lug configuration but one or more lugs could be used.)Extending from the center attachment point 30 is a threaded post 48having exterior threads 50. In some implementations, the post may have ahollow internally threaded axial bore with a smooth exterior surface, athreaded exterior surface with smooth internal bore, or the exteriorsurface may be threaded in combination with internal threads on theinternal axial bore. The threads may be right-handed or left-handedoriented threads, depending on the direction of rotation of the wheelassembly 20 when mounted on the vehicle.

This post, because of where it is located at the center of the hub andits purpose built construction, can hold varying amount of weightsecurely and safely. For example it can hold larger heavy metal facesbut will not flex or contort under forces like a hub cap.

The ornamental face plate 32 shown in FIG. 1 is one form of a centerattachment device and, in this implementation, it is shown having one ofmany different ornamental configurations. As shown in this example, theornamental face plate 32 has openings 52 formed around a central opening54 to create five ornamental radial spokes 56. The ornamental face plate32 has a disc shape with a circular planform shape that is sized andshaped to fit within the exterior rim 38 of the base wheel 24. Thecentral opening 54 itself is sized and shaped to be slidably receivedover the threaded post 48 on the center attachment point 30, where it isheld in place by the threaded fastener 34. A decorative plug or cover 58can be inserted in a central opening 60 of the threaded fastener 34 tocreate a finished appearance. The plug or cover 58 can be held in placewith an interference fit, or for more security it can be threaded on tothe post 48. As shown in the assembled view of FIG. 2, when theornamental face plate 32 is mounted to the post 48, it will preferablycover the five lug nuts 46, blocking them from exterior view.

FIG. 3 illustrates a first step in using the wheel assembly 20 of thepresent disclosure. Here the base wheel 24 is shown in a frontelevational view attached to the vehicle rotor 23 (not shown in thisview) using the five lug nuts 46 in a conventional manner. The next stepis mounting an ornamental face plate 32 to the base wheel 24, such asthe ornamental face plate 32 described above in connection with FIGS. 1and 2. The ornamental face plate 32 is slid over the post 48 and held inplace with the threaded fastener 34. The cover 58 is then positioned onthe threaded fastener 34. The finished assembly is shown in FIG. 2. Itis to be understood that this implementation is one of a number ofvariations in the structure, function, and appearance of the wheelassembly 20 of the present disclosure. For example, multiplecircumferences can be accommodated where post 48 is stepped to acceptlarger diameter hubs such as on a heavy duty truck or smallercircumference to achieve different design qualities.

FIGS. 4A-4C are exploded cross-sectional views of wheel and hubassemblies 80 a, 80 b, 80 c showing three different positions of acenter hub 82 and center attachment point 84 relative to a barrelportion 86. In FIG. 4A, the center hub 82 and center attachment point 84are positioned more to the right of the lateral center of the barrel 86,i.e., towards the exterior rim 88, to give a negative offset to thewheel assembly 20. In FIG. 4C, the center hub 82 and center attachmentpoint 84 are positioned more towards the left of the lateral center ofthe barrel portion 86, i.e., closer to the interior rim 90 than to theexterior rim 88, which gives a positive offset to the wheel assembly.This deep offset provides as much exterior space for a variety ofattachments with variable concavity. In FIG. 4B, the center hub 82 andcenter attachment point 84 are positioned at substantially the locationof the lateral midpoint of the barrel portion 86.

In the implementation shown in FIGS. 4A-4C, the center post 92 has anannular exterior shoulder 94 while the ornamental face plate 32 has anannular internal shoulder 96 sized and shaped to be slidably receivedover the center post 92 and into mating contact with the annularexterior shoulder 94 of the post 92. This aids in centering theornamental face plate 32 on the post 92 and providing a secure slidableengagement to guide the ornamental face plate 32 on to the post 92. Inaddition, this shoulder feature aids in stabilizing the ornamental faceplate 32 on the post 92, particularly during high-speed rotation of thewheel assemblies 80 a, 80 b, 80 c. It is to be understood that post 92,shoulder 94, and an annular channel 98 (described below) can all vary inlength and circumference to accommodate different variations ofornamental face plates 32.

In addition, the center attachment point 84 includes an annular channel98 interior of the shoulder 94 that is sized and shaped to receive anannular collar 100 extending from an interior side of the ornamentalface plate 32. When the ornamental face plate 32 is installed on thepost 92 and slid onto the shoulder 94, the annular collar 100 will beslidably received inside the annular channel 98, providing morestability in the positioning of the ornamental face plate 32 duringinstallation and use.

As will be readily appreciated from the foregoing, the base wheel iseasier to manufacture and more simply reproducible than currentdecorative wheels. This only requires tooling modifications for offset,diameter and rigidity specifications and will decrease manufacturingcosts. It also decreases the environmental footprint of themanufacturing process. The base wheel can apply multiple types ofmanufacturing processes such as forging, casting, multi-piece andflow-forming, amongst others, to achieve desired structuralcapabilities. Different types of materials can also be used, such asaluminum, magnesium, or composite type carbon fiber to createlightweight forms. Base wheel technology will essentially decrease theoverall weight of the base wheel despite material or process used. This,in turn, will decrease unsprung weight in the wheel, enhancingperformance/handling and improve fuel economy. If at any point it isdesired to run the wheel at its lightest capability, then it onlyrequires the end-user to remove the ornamentation and center attachmentcap. The base wheel essentially uses the least amount of material tobear the weight of the vehicle; hence it is the lightest that can beproduced safely. The base wheel allows for a cosmetically appealing,lightweight final product that still adheres to current designs whilehaving the ability to add decorative features as desired. The base wheelis set apart by perpetuating these desirable design features, like thespacing of the base wheel attachment points (spokes) to visualize thecaliper and rotor of a vehicle. This allows for desired visualization ofthese components and cooling of the braking system in the performancerealm as well as aesthetics in the customization world.

The center attachment point on the wheel pushes the capability ofcustomization to new levels. Using the base wheel as a springboard, themethodology of using the whole wheel creates new possibilities. Changingfrom a concave (negative) look offset to a more neutral or positive lookis facilitated with the present disclosure. The locking mechanism can beremoved and the cap untightened, to swap the ornamental face plate.Having the capability of changing the look of a wheel is a welcomed andoverdue innovation in the automotive wheel realm. This integrated wheeltechnology drives the cost of creating easily interchangeable wheelfaces down. This cuts down on waste and amount of product needed tocreate a whole new wheel. This also leads to the use of different typesof materials to comprise the face of the wheel, such as composites ormetals that usually require large amounts of machining to attaindifferent finishes and colors.

Wheel integration technology has the potential to innovate multipleaspects of the automotive wheel market. The base wheel allows for theability to easily swap and change faces, colors, and multiple designscan be placed on the base wheel. This is attained without having anyload bearing surfaces. Customization can also be applied to the centerlug/cap, incorporating different designs and colors. Different types ofmaterials add flare to finishes, and composites play a vital role inweight reduction. This concept of interchangeability adds new dynamic tothe wheel industry. Both the OEM and end-user benefit from this type ofcustomization capability.

Referring next to FIGS. 5-6, shown therein is a basic, clean design of awheel assembly 101 formed in accordance with the present disclosure toinclude a base wheel 102 and a removable ornamental face plate 104 thatincludes ten spokes 106 arranged in five pairs 108 of spokes spacedequidistantly around the circumference of the face plate 104. The wheel102 has ten matching spokes 110 also arranged in five pairs 112 spacedequidistantly around the circumference of the wheel 102. The width ofthe desired base spoke can change to accommodate different ornamentalfaces or tolerate different weight tolerances.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view and FIG. 6 is a partially exploded view inwhich the ornamental face plate 104 is positioned on a post 114extending from a center attachment point 116 of the wheel 102. The post114 includes exterior threads 118 in this implementation. The face plate104 has a center opening 120 that is sized and shaped to be slidablyreceived over the post 114 without engaging the exterior threads 118.The face plate 104 is held in place on the wheel 102 with a centerlocking assembly 122 so that the spokes 106 of the face plate 104 arealigned with the spokes 110 of the wheel 102.

In this implementation, the center locking assembly 122 includes a kingnut 124 having internal threads 126 sized and shaped to engage theexterior threads 118 of the wheel post 114. The outer exterior perimeterof the nut 124 is keyed with projections 128 to accept a similarly keyedsocket (not shown) to provide security in the attachment of the faceplate 104 to the wheel 102.

The center locking assembly 122 includes a center cap 130 sized andshaped to be received over the nut 124 and a sealing ring 132 that issized and shaped to be received in a recess 134 in the cap 130. Inaccordance with one aspect of this implementation, the cap 130 has anannular interior collar with exterior threads, preferably reversethreads (dependent on the side of the vehicle), that threadably engagewith interior reverse threads formed in a hollow interior of the wheelpost 114. The recess 134 in the cap 130 is keyed to accept a tool forturning the cap 130 when the cap 130 is received on the wheel post 114.The sealing ring 132 is preferably formed of compliant material toenable insertion of the sealing ring 132 in the circular recess 134 witha tight fit.

FIG. 5 illustrates the adding of different ornamental designs to thebase wheel. One advantage is one can add different designs to anornamental face plate, but covering only the aspect that is needed toachieve the desired look. In this iteration there are open spaces orwindows between the spokes, which differs from previous designs that aresolid pieces. The ornamental face plates 106 can be any weight ormaterial or color, to provide the ability to dramatically change thelook and feel, and it can be unlocked and changed again. FIG. 6illustrates the foregoing in more detail. In the partially assembledstructure shown in FIG. 6, the spokes 106 on the ornamental face plate104 are sized and shaped so the spokes 106 have an interior channel thatreceives the spokes of the wheel 102 in slidable engagement. This can beseen more clearly in FIG. 7, which is a partially explodedcross-sectional view of the assembled wheel 102 and ornamental faceplate 104 of FIG. 6. In this implementation, the length of the spokes106 is sized to enable the spokes 106 to extend up to but not touch thewheel 102.

FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of a keyed socket 136 to be received overthe king nut 124 with the projections 128 on the king nut engaged withmating slots (not shown) in the socket 136. The socket 136 also includesa projection 138 that is keyed to receive a similarly keyed tool (notshown), such as a conventional socket tool. The socket 136 does notremain on the king nut 124, and it is used only for installing andremoving the king nut 124. The king nut can also move up and down thehub holding various thickness of material of the ornamental faceattachment. The king nut can incorporate another attachment point forindependent ornamental spokes and move along the access of the centerhub varying depth and concavity (demonstrated in later figures).

FIG. 8 is an exploded axonometric view of the wheel assembly of FIG. 5in combination with an optional ornamental ring 140, an existing vehiclerotor 142, and an inner fender 144 of a vehicle, such as an automobile.The rotor 142 has a conventional five-lug arrangement, and the wheel 102has the five openings (not visible in this view) sized and arranged toslide over the lugs on the rotor 142 to be secured in place withconventional lug nuts (not shown). FIG. 8 is important because it addsthe ring 40 top enable attachment, and then another ring can beattached, which is another form of altering the appearance inside theinterior and along the depth of the barrel of the wheel. This gives theability to transform whatever the outer rim looks like while allowingthe base to stay the same.

FIG. 9 is a partially assembled view of the wheel 102, ornamental faceplate 104, and ornamental ring 140 of FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 is anassembled view without the center lock assembly. As shown, the ring 140is positioned on the outer portion of the circumferential rim 146 of thewheel barrel 103, and then the ornamental face plate 104 is placed onthe wheel post 114, which is then secured in place with one of thecenter lock assemblies described above. The ring 140 has a steppedshoulder 148 that is sized and shaped to have the spokes 106 on theornamental face plate 104 bear against the ring 140 when the ornamentalface plate 104 is placed on the wheel center post 114. In oneimplementation of the present disclosure, the ring 140 is held in placeby the spokes 106 of the ornamental face plate 104 bearing against theshoulder 148.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the ring140 may be snapped on to the wheel 102 or threadably engaged with therim of the wheel 102 as described more fully below.

In FIG. 11 the wheel assembly 101 of FIGS. 5 and 6 is shown with analternative center lock system that includes a threaded sleeve 150 inthe form of a hollow cylinder having external threads 152 and one ormore set screw openings 154 formed in a sidewall of the sleeve 150. Thesleeve 150 is held in place with set screws (shown in FIG. 17) that arethreadably engaged with the openings 154 in the side wall of the sleeve150. Ideally a steel sleeve is preferred for its superior strength overaluminum and other softer metals, which prevents cross-threading by theking nut 124 during installation. The king nut 124 is threaded onto theexterior threads 152 of the sleeve 150, and the cap 130 has exteriorthreads that engage interior threads (preferably counterclockwise,depending on the direction of rotation of the wheel) formed in thehollow interior 156 of the wheel post 114 (shown in FIG. 18).

Referring next to FIG. 12, shown therein are a wheel assembly 160 thatemploys the base wheel 102 and center locking assembly 122 describedabove in combination with a novel ornamental face plate 162 having 20radial spokes 164 arranged in ten pairs 166. To avoid unnecessarilycluttering the drawing, only three pairs 166 of spokes 164 are labeled.The face plate 162 includes a center opening 168 sized and shaped to beslidably received over the wheel post 114 on the base wheel 102. Theface plate 162 includes an integral circumferential ring 170 thatconnects to the distal ends 172 of each of the spokes 164. The ring 170and spokes 164 present a deep dish design, and five pairs 166 of the tenpairs 166 of spokes 164 are aligned with and cover the spokes 110 of thebase wheel 102 when the face plate 162 is assembled to the base wheel102. The remaining five pairs 166 of spokes are interspersed and spacedequidistantly around the circumference of the face plate 162. Thisdesign allows the use of the face plate 162 and the spokes 164 to beadded over a space in between the spokes of the base wheel and to besupported with no base wheel spokes behind it. The spokes can bepositioned over a space where there is no underlying spoke from the basewheel. This adds a design feature that was not originally present in thebase wheel and it is only supported by the center attachment point. Thisdesign feature is independent of the weight of the vehicle. In addition,the face plate 162 creates a different outer design, a lip, to a wheelwithout having to modify the wheel itself.

It is to be remembered that the ornamental face does not bear weight,hence the design of the face plate is not limited by that fact. Currentwheel aesthetics are tied to holding weight because extra material isneeded to hold the vehicle weight as well as to support the wheeldesign. This is inefficient, whereas the present design uses lessmaterial with resulting less weight. As seen in FIG. 12, it is moreornate without being a heavier design because there is nothing behindthe ornamental spokes. Aesthetic appeal brings costly weight in priordesigns.

FIG. 13 is an axonometric exploded cross section view of a discreetexternally threaded wheel post 174 engaging a wheel hub 176 on amodified base wheel 178. The wheel post 174 has an externally threadednose 180 that may be hollow and include internal threads as well. Thenose 180 is sized and shaped to receive an ornamental face plate and acenter locking assembly in the manner described above. The discreetwheel post 174 also has a larger diameter base 182 with external threads184 to engage internal threads 186 on the wheel hub 176 of the basewheel 178 from the rear thereof. A shoulder 188 on the internallongitudinal axial bore 190 engages a shoulder 191 on the discreet wheelhub 176 to stop the travel of the wheel hub 176 as it is threaded intothe bore 190. The wheel post 174 can then be adjusted in its positionrelative to the base wheel 178 to enable adjustment in the position ofan ornamental face plate attached to the wheel post 174 relative to thebase wheel 178. A rear internal set sleeve 192 is threadably engagedwith the internal axial bore 190 behind the wheel post 174 to preventthe wheel post 174 from moving relative to the base wheel 178.Essentially the set sleeve 192 acts as a jam nut when tightened againstthe wheel post 174.

FIG. 14 is a rear axonometric cross-sectional view of a base wheel 194with a smooth center bore 196 that receives a wheel post 198 in slidableengagement that is then held in place with retaining screws 199 thatengage with the base wheel 194. This is an alternative to theimplementation shown in FIG. 13.

Referring next to FIG. 15, shown therein is the base wheel 102previously described and a helical wire insert 200 made of steel orsimilar material that is sized and shaped to be inserted into the wheelpost 48 having a hollow internal axial bore 202 with smooth sidewalls204. The insert 200 is a solution to having internal aluminum threadsthat can be prone to cross-threading. The stronger helical coil insert200 also demonstrates the ability to exchange the thread insert in thefuture if necessary.

This implementation can also be utilized with an outer collar describedbelow with respect to FIG. 18 to provide for an internal and externalthreaded center post.

FIG. 16 is an exploded view of a 10-spoke base wheel 206 having astepped center post 208 utilizing a ball pin lock system 210 for theornamental face 212. A tire 214 is shown mounted to the base wheel 206,which illustrates the relationship of the tire 214 to the distal rim 216of the base wheel 206. The ornamental face 212 has spokes 218 withdistal ends 220 attached to a ring 222 that is sized and shaped toengage with the distal rim 216 of the wheel 206, either by merelybearing against it as shown in this implementation, or by a morepositive engagement, such as clipping to the rim 216. Spring loaded balldetents 224 are positioned at each of the two stepped faces 226, 228 onthe exterior surface of the stepped center post 208 that are sized andshaped to engage with matching openings 230 found in a center annularcollar 232 on the ornamental face plate 212.

The ornamental face plate 212 attaches to the stepped center post 208 bysliding the collar 232 over the post 208 until the ball detents 224 onthe post 208 engage the respective openings 230 in the collar 234. Thestepped nature of the post 208 provides a limit to the axial insertionof the ornamental face plate 212 on the post 208 to provide fordifferent depths of insertion and to accommodate different depth faces.In addition, the stepped post 208 enables the post 208 to acceptornamental face plates that have collars of different diameters or toaccept two ornamental face plates in a stacked relationship on the post208. While two stepped faces 226, 228 are shown, it is to be understoodthat additional stepped faces may be formed on the post 208.

In FIG. 17 another implementation of a base wheel 230 is illustratedwith a modified center post 232 to accept an externally threaded collar234 with transverse set screws 236 to engage holes 238 in the collarwall 240. The set screws 236 have a length that ensures the heads 237 ofthe set screws will be recessed within the collar wall 240. Openings 242can be formed in the center post 232 that accept the set screws 236, andthese openings 242 may have internal threads to threadably engage withthe threaded set screws 236 or they may have a smooth bore to allow theset screws 236 to pass into the openings 242 to ensure the set screwheads 237 are recessed enough in the collar wall 238 to not interferewith objects being threaded on to the exterior of the collar 234. A nutcan also be used to secure the collar 234.

In FIG. 18 the externally threaded collar 234 is shown placed on thepost 232 of the base wheel 230 in combination with the helical wireinsert 200 positioned inside the post 232. This provides for threads onthe exterior as well as the interior of the post 232.

Turning next to FIG. 19, illustrated therein is an exploded view of abase wheel 244, which can be the base wheel 102 described above, alongwith an associated tire 246, an ornamental ring 248 that clips to thebase wheel 244, and a center lock mechanism 250 for use in attaching anornamental face plate to the base wheel. A cap 253 and ring 255cooperate with a conventional cylinder key (center) lock mechanism 250to retain an ornamental face (not shown) on the base wheel 244. FIG. 20is an assembled axonometric view of the base wheel 244, tire 246, andornamental ring 248. This view demonstrates the ability to add a ring,which in this case clips to the wheel, and then add a center-mountedornamental face plate independently to the base wheel 244. Ring 248provides structure for the ornamental face with attachment structure toincorporate a design to be held with the ring 248.

FIG. 21 is an axonometric view of a deep dish base wheel 250 having tenspokes 252 arranged in five pairs 254 spaced equidistantly around thecircumference of the wheel 250. The center wheel hub 256 is recesseddeeper into the wheel 250, as are the spokes 252, which provides morespace for an ornamental ring 258 having a larger, deeper face 260 thanin the designs described above.

In FIG. 22, the deep dish base wheel 250 is shown with an ornamentalring 262 having a stepped annular face 264 that is attached to the basewheel 250. As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 23, a tire 266is added to show the relationship of the tire 266, wheel 250, andornamental ring 262. As can be seen, the stepped annular face 264 of theornamental ring 262 creates a space 268 between the ornamental ring 262and the base wheel 250. This space 268 can be used to hold or receiveweights, which are then concealed by the ornamental ring 262 after thewheel 250 and tire 266 are balanced. In this implementation, theornamental ring 262 has two annular steps 270, 272 on the interior ofthe ring 262, which are shown most clearly in FIG. 23. The size andshape of the ornamental ring 262 and the annular steps 270, 272 are amatter of design choice that is not dictated by function. It will beappreciated that fewer or more steps can be formed on the ornamentalring 262 of varying sizes in order to present a different visualappearance.

Turning next to FIG. 24, shown therein is a base wheel 274 having anannular distal rim 276 with exterior threads 278 formed thereon. Thesethreads 278 are sized and shaped to receive threads formed on anornamental ring (not shown), which is one method of securing anornamental ring to the wheel 274. This design eliminates or reduces agap between an ornamental beauty ring and the side of a tire. In otherwords, the threaded rim 276 enables an ornamental ring to tighten downon the wheel 274 to close the gap between wheel and tire. Although aminimal number of threads are shown for ease of illustration, any numberof threads can be used.

For example, FIG. 25A shows an exploded view of the base wheel 274 withan ornamental ring 280 and corresponding ornamental face plate 282having twenty spokes 292 arranged in ten pairs equidistantly around thecircumference of the face plate 282. The ring 280 could be clipped tothe wheel 274, but it is preferred to use the threads 278 to attach theornamental ring 280 to base wheel 274. In this implementation, the ring280 will not only close the gap between a tire and the wheel 274, itwill stabilize the ornamental face 282 on the wheel 274 with twoattachment methods. The ornamental face can in turn stabilize the outerlip ring and prevent it from turning.

In the first attachment method, the ring 280 has tabs 284 with a centralopening 286, each tab 284 sized and shaped to be slidably received in anopening 288 formed between the distal ends 290 of the spokes 292 on theornamental face plate 282. A U-shaped terminal end 294 is formed at thedistal ends 290 to connect each pair of spokes 292 together. Theterminal end 294 is sized and shaped to extend over and bear against theannular face 296 of the ring 280. The second attachment method uses twofemale slots 298 formed in the annular face 296 of the ring 280 that aresized and shaped to receive the sidewalls 299 depending from the spokes292 on the face plate 282.

As shown in FIG. 25A, these two methods are alternating, but each methodmay be used solely. For example, in FIG. 26, only the pairs of slots 298on the ornamental ring 280 are used in conjunction with an ornamentalface 300 having ten spokes 302 arranged in five pairs 304. This leavesthe tabs 284 available to support a second ornamental face that can bestacked on top of the first ornamental face 300 as discussed below inconnection with FIG. 25B. The tabs 284 and slots 298 also providesupport for the spokes 292 when the base wheel has no underlying spokesto provide support. It is to be understood that the face plate 282 canextend beyond the edge of the rim or the ring 280, which is a uniqueaspect that can only be accomplished with the design of the presentdisclosure, otherwise it would not be possible to mount a tire.

FIG. 25B illustrates how multiple ornamental face plates can be arrangedin a tandem or stacked relationship. In this implementation, there arethree face plates 283, 285, 287 that are mounted to the base wheel 274and held in place with a king nut 289. There are multiple openings shownin the center attachment point that are in stacked relationship alongthe axis of rotation of the wheel to enable attachment of one or moreface plates at different depths in the interior of the wheel barrel.Detents on the face plates 283 can be used to snap into the openings inthe center attachment point.

FIG. 26 illustrates the wheel 274 and ring 280 used in conjunction withan ornamental face plate 300 having only ten spokes 302 arranged in fivepairs 304 spaced equidistantly around the circumference of the faceplate 300. Here, the spokes 302 have sidewalls that are sized and shapedto be received within slots 298 in the ring 280. The slots 298 are usedas an accepting point to be used with longer design spokes, such asspokes 282 and 294 shown in FIG. 25A. The underside of spoke 282 acceptsthe spoke 298.

FIG. 27 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of a base wheel306 that has an annular distal rim 308 with a slot 310 sized and shapedto receive a tab 312 formed on the outer extremity of a ring 314. Thisprovides a secure form of attachment of the ring 314 to the wheel 306.This is an alternative to the threaded attachment described above.

In FIG. 28 is shown a 20-spoke ornamental face 316 positioned on a basewheel 318 that includes a tire 320 mounted thereon. In thisimplementation, the ornamental face has the spokes 322 arranged in tenpairs 324, with each pair 324 connected together at their distal endswith a terminal connector 326. The connector 326 is sized and shaped tooverlap past the rim 328 of the wheel 318 and on to the tire 320. Thisdemonstrates how the ornamental faces can be changed with respect tosize, number of spokes, arrangement of spokes, length, design, and evencolor (not shown). This also demonstrates the ability to have anornamental face protrude past the rim into the tire given it is addedafter the tire is mounted.

FIG. 29 shows the wheel 318 and tire 320 from FIG. 28 with a newornamental face 330 again having twenty spokes 332 arranged in ten pairs334 spaced equidistantly around the circumference of the ornamental face330. Connecting the distal ends of each pair of spokes is an open hoopconnector 336 able to extend past wheel 318 that overlaps the tire 320,with the open space 338 in the connector 336 at least partiallyoverlapping the tire 320 to allow a portion of the tire 320 to bevisible through the connector 336. This presents a different visualeffect when all the elements are mounted together and held in place withthe center lock assembly 340. It is to be understood that thisimplementation can be used with a ring, such as the ring 314 describedabove.

In FIG. 30 is illustrated an alternative implementation of the presentdisclosure in which a base wheel 342 is presented without a center postin the center hub 344 of the wheel 342. A removable center post 346 isprovided that includes the post 348 and a plurality of legs 350 that aresized and shaped to be attached to the center hub 344. Moreparticularly, there are five legs 350 (alternatively one leg attachmentper lug on the vehicle), each having a foot 352 with an opening 354sized and shaped to accommodate a fastener 356 that attaches theremovable center post 346 to the center hub 344 of the wheel 342.Alternatively, the center post 346 can be attached to rotor lugs thatextend through the base wheel 342 for concurrent attachment of both thebase wheel 342 and the removable center post 346 to the rotor (notshown).

The various implementations described above can be combined to providefurther implementations. For example, the ring can have channels thatare sized and shaped to receive a component on the wheel and in whichthe ring then twists and locks in place on the wheel. FIG. 31illustrates another alternative embodiment of a base wheel 400 with afive-spoked ornamental face 402 that includes five lug through-holes 404for wheel lugs (not shown) to pass through for an alternative look. FIG.32 illustrates yet another alternative embodiment in which a spacer 420is provided for mounting on the vehicle and providing an attachment forthe base wheels of the present disclosure. This spaces the base wheeland any attachments further out from the vehicle to provide a differentlook and handling for the vehicle. Aspects of the implementations can bemodified, if necessary, to employ concepts of the various patents,applications and publications to provide yet further implementations.

For example, the ornamental face plate 32 can be provided with a lockingmechanism (not shown) as one unit to lock in place on the post. This caninclude a snap-on version for ease of installation and removal.

FIGS. 33A-33C are cross-sectional illustrations of anotherimplementation of a wheel assembly 450 having a base wheel 452 with anattached adjustable depth ornamental assembly at different stages ofdeployment. In this implementation, the ornamental assembly can moveaxially with respect to the base wheel 452 to change the concavitybetween the base wheel 452 and the ornamental assembly as described morefully below.

As shown in FIGS. 33A-33C and corresponding FIGS. 35-37, respectively,the base wheel 452 has five radial spokes 454, although more or lessspokes may be used, fixedly attached or integrally formed with a barrelportion 456 at one end of the spokes 454 and a centrally located wheelhub 458 at the other end of the spokes 454, similar or identical to thebase wheels described previously. The wheel hub 458 has a centerattachment point that is structured to engage the ornamental assemblyand enable the ornamental assembly to move axially along a rotationalaxis X-X of the base wheel 452.

The barrel portion 456 of the base wheel 452 includes thecylindrical-shaped barrel 460 having an annular exterior rim 462 and anannular interior rim 464 formed around the exterior and interiorperimeters of the barrel 460, respectively, of the barrel 456. The wheelhub 458 in this implementation is not solid from the exterior rim 462but has the spokes 454 described above. However, it is to be understoodthat other configurations may be used, including solid dished, bladed,slotted, and variations thereof for weight reduction (to sustain theweight of the vehicle). The size, shape, and placement of these featuresare also determined by ornamental design considerations and to anappearance that has appeal to consumers based on latest styles andtrends. Although the weight of the base wheel 452 is preferably as lightas possible, removal of material to achieve lighter weight may still bedone, with or without deference to appearance, cosmetic appeal, andlatest ornamental trends and consumer preferences.

The wheel hub 458 has the center attachment point 466 that may beintegrally formed with the wheel hub 458, such as in the forgingimplementations, or welded in place during fabrication, or it may beremovably attached to the wheel hub 458 using conventional attachmentmethods that are readily commercially available and will not bedescribed in detail herein. The center attachment point 466 includesfive openings 468 sized and shaped to receive five mounting lugsprojecting from the vehicle rotor as described above with respect toFIGS. 1-4.

The adjustable depth ornamental assembly includes a center post 470structured to attach to the center attachment point 468 to move axiallyalong the X-X rotational axis of the base wheel 452. In oneimplementation, the center post 470 has a hollow cylindrical interiorwith internal threads sized and shaped to engage external threads on thecenter attachment point 468. A locking screw (not shown) can bethreadably engaged with a side wall of the center post 470 to bearagainst the center attachment point 468 and prevent rotation of thecenter post 470 relative to the center attachment point 468. Threadingthe center post 470 clockwise onto the center attachment point 468changes the position of the center post 470 relative to the base wheel452 by moving it deeper into the interior of the base wheel 452 (unlessreverse threads are used, then the opposite would be true). Likewise,turning the center post counterclockwise would move the center post inthe opposite direction so it would move to be more shallow in theinterior of the base wheel 452.

Attached at radially spaced attachment points on the exterior of thecenter post 470 are arms 472, each arm 472 having a yoke 474 formed on adistal end of the arm 472. Attached for pivotal movement to eachrespective yoke 474 are spoke covers 476 that are sized and shaped tocover the exterior face of the base wheel spokes 454, providing anornamental appearance to the base wheel spokes 454. Each spoke cover 476includes a ball 478 at a proximal end of the spoke cover 476 that is fitinto the yoke 474, and can be held in place with a fastener. FIG. 34illustrates a slightly different implementation where the yokes 474extend from a ring 478 attached to the center post 470. The ball 478 canbe seen positioned between two legs 482 of the respective yoke 474 andheld in place with a fastener 484 that also serves as an axle on whichthe spoke cover 476 pivots (see also ring 478 in FIGS. 33A and 33B).

The underside of each spoke cover 476 includes an alignment rib 486positioned along a longitudinal axis of the spoke cover 476, generallyextending along the mid-section of the spoke cover. The rib 486 includesa plurality of axially spaced semicircular slots 488 that are sized andshaped to fit over corresponding alignment projections 490 on thesurface of the respective base wheel spoke 454. As shown in FIGS.33A-33C, there are three slots 490 and three projections 488, althoughit is to be understood that more or less than three may be used.

In FIGS. 33A and 35, the ornamental assembly is positioned to be ashallow depth within the interior of the base wheel 452. In FIGS. 33Band 36, the ornamental assembly is positioned at an intermediate depth,and in FIGS. 33C and 37, the ornamental assembly is at its deepest depthwithin the interior of the base wheel 452.

FIG. 38 is an axonometric projection that illustrates another embodimentof the base wheel with a bi-level adjustable depth wheel assembly 492.In this implementation another set of ornamental spokes 494 can be usedwith the center post 470 having an additional ring 480 on which thesecond set of ornamental spokes 494 can be mounted for pivotal movement.

Another feature and benefit of the present disclosure is the ability toleave open windows or spaces in the barrel of the base wheel, with orwithout the use of ornamental face plates, as described herein, to allowfor visualization and cooling of brake components, or just cooling ofvehicle components.

These and other changes can be made to the implementations in light ofthe above detailed description. In general, in the following claims, theterms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specificimplementations disclosed in the specification and the claims, butshould be construed to include all possible implementations along withthe full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.

1. A wheel assembly for use on a vehicle and for use with a plurality ofornamental face plates, the wheel assembly comprising: a barrel having asidewall that circumscribes an interior having a first end and a secondend; a hub located in the interior of the barrel and capable of couplingthe barrel to the vehicle; and an attachment device coupled to the hub,the attachment device including a post that is capable of accepting anornamental face plate in removable engagement.
 2. The wheel assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the barrel has a longitudinal axial bore with alongitudinal axis, and the hub is offset along the longitudinal axistowards the first end of the barrel.
 3. The wheel assembly of claim 1,wherein the hub has an attachment point and the attachment deviceattaches to the attachment point of the hub.
 4. The wheel assembly ofclaim 3 wherein the attachment device does not bear any vehicle weightwhen the wheel assembly is mounted on the vehicle.
 5. The wheel assemblyof claim 4, wherein the post extending from the attachment deviceincludes means for securing one of the ornamental face plates to thepost, and is structured to hold weight without flexing or contorting. 6.The wheel assembly of claim 4 wherein the post has an exterior surfaceand a shoulder circumscribing the exterior surface, the shoulder havinga face orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the post that is sized andshaped to bear against the ornamental face plate.
 7. The wheel assemblyof claim 1 wherein the attachment device is formed integral with thehub.
 8. The wheel assembly of claim 1 wherein the attachment device iskeyed to the hub and attached to the hub with fasteners.
 9. The wheelassembly of claim 1 wherein the hub is attached to the barrel with aplurality of spokes that form windows or spaces in the barrel to enablecooling of components on the vehicle, such as brakes, or visualizationof components on the vehicle, or both cooling and visualization.
 10. Thewheel assembly of claim 1 wherein the hub is attached to the barrel witha solid circumscribing plate having no openings.
 11. The wheel assemblyof claim 1, further comprising a spacer attachable to the vehicle andcapable of receiving the hub to couple the hub to the vehicle.
 12. Awheel assembly for use on a vehicle, the wheel assembly comprising: abarrel having a sidewall having an internal surface that circumscribes ahollow interior having a first end and a second end; a hub located in aninterior of the barrel and having an exterior side and an interior sidethat is capable of coupling the barrel to the vehicle; and an ornamentalface plate sized and shaped to be removably coupled to at least one ofthe hub and the barrel to cover at least a portion of the hub and aportion of the interior surface of the barrel on the exterior side ofthe hub.
 13. The wheel assembly of claim 12, further comprising a centerattachment device with a post that is capable of attachment to the hub.14. The wheel assembly of claim 13 wherein the barrel has a longitudinalaxial bore with a longitudinal axis, and the hub is offset along thelongitudinal axis towards the first end of the barrel.
 15. The wheelassembly of claim 13 wherein the center attachment device is keyed tothe hub and attached to the hub with fasteners.
 16. The wheel assemblyof claim 13 wherein the hub is attached to the barrel with a pluralityof spokes that form windows or spaces in the barrel to enable cooling ofcomponents on the vehicle, such as brakes, or visualization ofcomponents on the vehicle, or both cooling and visualization.
 17. Avehicle, comprising: a wheel assembly comprising: a barrel having asidewall having an internal surface that circumscribes a hollow interiorhaving a first end and a second end; a hub located in an interior of thebarrel and having an exterior side and an interior side that is capableof coupling the barrel to the vehicle; and an ornamental face platesized and shaped to be removably coupled to at least one of the hub andthe barrel to cover at least a portion of the hub and a portion of theinterior surface of the barrel on the exterior side of the hub.
 18. Thevehicle of claim 17, further comprising an attachment device with a postthat is capable of attachment to the hub.
 19. The vehicle of claim 18wherein the barrel has a longitudinal axial bore with a longitudinalaxis, and the hub is offset along the longitudinal axis towards thefirst end of the barrel.
 20. The vehicle of claim 18 wherein theattachment device is keyed to the hub and coupled to the hub withfasteners.
 21. The vehicle of claim 18 wherein the hub is coupled to thebarrel with a plurality of spokes that form windows or spaces in thebarrel to enable cooling of components on the vehicle, such as brakes,or visualization of components on the vehicle, or both cooling andvisualization.
 22. The vehicle of claim 17 wherein the hub has multipleattachment points to enable placement of the ornamental face plate atselected positions within the barrel to enable selection in a level ofconcavity that is created between the ornamental face plate and thebarrel.
 23. The vehicle of claim 18 further comprising a king nutstructured to threadably engage the post and enable positioning of theornamental face plate at any location along the post to change a depthof concavity within the barrel.
 24. The vehicle of claim 17 comprisingan ornamental ring structured to be attached to a base wheel, theornamental ring having a stepped annular face that creates a spacebetween the ornamental ring and the base wheel that is sized and shapedto hold or receive weights on the base wheel and that are concealed bythe ornamental ring.